Means and instrumentality for effecting reverse plating



May 13, 1930- R. H. LAWSON l1,758,899

MEANS AND INSTRUMENTALTTY FOR EFFECTING REVERSE PLATING Fild May 28. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet, l

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May 13, 1930. R. H. LAWSON 1,758,899

MEANS AND INSTRUMENTALITY FOR EFFECTING REVERSE PLATING Filed May 28, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f Ime-nia?.- q evHLazvsOh Patented May 13, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT e OFFICE ROBERT H. LAWSON, F IPAWTUOKET, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO HEMPH'ILL COM- PANY, OF CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS MEANS AND INSTRUMENTALITY FOR EFFECTING REVERSE PLATING- Original application led May 10, 1926,

This application relates to improved means for effecting reverse plating in machines having independently operated needles, and this application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 107,921, filed May 10,

lar. independent needle, knitting machine;

Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the .structure shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 represents in perspective View the special instrumentality, a regular web holder and an instrument to even the dividing line of plating between normal and reverse platmg? Fi 4 represents in perspective a sequential arrangement of special instrumentalities and regular web holders for making narrow stripes, particularly in fine gauge woruk;

Fig. 5 represents in six successive posit-ions a needle, a special instrumentality and a regular web holder functioning in effecting reverse plating, particularly for fine gauge work;

Figs. 5, 5", 5c represent successive positions of the face and back yarns with relation to the needle in reverse plating; and

Fig. 6 is a detail in side elevation showing in part means for feeding the yarns -or threads in plating relation..

The machine herein disclosed as one upon which my invention may be practised need not be specifically described inasmuch as it is shown. particularly in the parent application, as the well known Banner or Hemphill machine. Briefly it is to be noted that the machine is of the independent needle type and that the needles are desirably latch needles. Therefore, I employ certain parts of that machine including a latch ringand narrowing and widening instrumentalities which need not be particularly referred to and which are not here shown. The needle cylinder is indicated at 18 and within the grooves thereof a-re received the independent- -ly operated latch needles 19. At the upper end of the needle cylinder is provided the web holder receiving and operating mechanism which is generally similar to that of the Banner machine but altered in accordance with my invention. As here shown I have represented vthe web holder bed ring at 20. Positioned thereabove is the outer ring member 21 of the cam ring. The web holder bed ring 20 is provided with radial grooves indicated at 22 for the reception of the regular web holders, the special instrumentalities and the line eveners, as hereinafter referred to in detail. The special inst-rumentalities are indicated at A, the regular sinkers or web holders at B, and the line eveners at C. Said regular web holders B are desirably of typical or usual formation. They may be varied in accordance with operating conditions, and my invention is in no Wise limited to the particular form thereof shown. Each such web holder (within which definition I include the so-called sinker) is mounted for in and out movement or radial sliding movement in a groove such as 22 of the web holder hed ring 20, and in each groove thereof alongside of but desirably without mechanical connection therewith is provided the special instrumentality or special sinker A.

The sinker cam ring which is provided With an annular formation 27 is at the proper point provided with a cam portion 31 for moving the web holders and special instrumentalities outward or for controlling or limiting their inward movement. At opposite sides of the cam 31 are the stationary cams 32', 33 for moving the web holders and special instrumentalities inward.

Radially outside of the cam portion 31 and at such a pointes to engage with the outer end portions of the special instrumentalities A are two levers 34a, 35, pivoted at 62 upon the knitting head, the shorter ends 63, 64 whereof are engaged by springs 65, 66, acting normally to move the larger end of said levers into outer or non-functioning position. Said larger ends are shown as having cam formations or faces 67, 68, the function whereof is to move the special instrumentalites A inward Seria'l No. 107,921. Divided and this application filed May 28, l 1929. Serial No. 366,540.

so as to cause them to push the back thread of normal plating into position to be the face thread of reverse plating (that is to say, so

to act upon the thread or threads as to effect a reversal in the position of the threads). I provide means, preferably acting automatically, to move the longer ends of said levers 34, 35a inward and` have indicated a portion of the operating means as pins 43, 44, which need not be more particularly referred to, as the same constitutesno part of the present invention. The black yarn 90 is in normal plating the back yarn and the white yarn 91 is in normal plating the face yarn.

These two yarns are fed in plating relation, beingsupplied through two yarn guides 69',

70 mounted in the usual manner with the The form of special instrumentalities A is v particularly adapted to line gauge work. It

is shown with a vertical flat yarn engaging face 75. A peculiarity of this form of special instrumentality and one which is peculiarly adapted to fine gauge work is the fact that leading from the upwardly inclined edge 76 of theV nib 77 is a downwardly inclined and backwardly extending notch or groove 78. The function of this notch or groove is to engage the yarns or threads as most clearly shown in the several positions in Fig. 5 and positively to guide or move them under definite control of the upper and lower faces of the said notch or groove 78, and articularly under the control of the upper ace thereof. The upwardly and outwardly inclined edge 76 constitutes a wedge that servesto force the yarn or yarns more tightly against the shank of the needle. In effecting this wedging action the yarns passing over said wedge edge are liftedl thereby and the downwardly inclined notch 78 serves to restore said yarns to the proper level with respect to the needle pertaining thereto. It is not essential that the notch or groove 78 be always associated with a vertical yarn engaging edge, such as 75, since the former is capable of separate use in effecting reverse plating. In Fig. 3, I have represented a group o members, the first of which is a special instrumentality A having the describedvertical face and the downwardly and backwardly inclined groove 78. Considering the direction in which the knitting machine turns in regular knitting the special instrumentality is so positioned in a groove with a regular web holder as first to engage the yarn or is lrst in position with respect to the direction of travel.

In the same groove therewith is a regular web holder B and in the next groove, assuming that the line of reverse plating is but a single wale in width, is located the line evener C, the characteristic whereof is the upwardly and rearwardly sloping edge 79 serving to bring the yarn which has been acted upon by the face 75 of the special instrumentalitlyll down such sloping edge 7 9 so as to bring t e said yarn into its proper position for normal plating. The rear end of the special instrumentalities A ma be shaped as shown at 80 to be engaged by t e proper cam lever andthe rear end of the line evener C may be shaped as shown at 81, or otherwise as desired, so as to engage the proper cam lever.

It will be observed that I have provided mechanism for effecting plating and reverse platinein a knitted fabric, including a series of independent needles, thread engag ing instrumentalities for each needle respectively, including regular web holders and including special instrumentalities where reverse plating is to be formed, all of said instrumentalltles being movable. individually transverse to the needle series. and thread guiding means to`feed a back thread and a face thread in plating relation to the needles, each of said special instrumentalities having an outwardly and downwardly sloping edge adapted to receive at least one of said threads during loop formation and for the purpose of e'ecting reverse plating.

In Fig. 5, I have represented six successive positions assumed by the special instrumentality A in effecting reverse plating, particularly in fine work. The back yarn appears as such in normal plating and the white yarn 91 is the face yarn of normal plating. In effecting reverse plating theedge 75 of the special instrumentality A engages the back yarn or thread 90 and in the ensuing movements of the special instrumentaliy and of the needle 19 the two yarns or threads respectively assume the positions shown in said gure. In Figs. 5", 5b, 5 I have represented successive positions of the yarns or threads 90 and 91 in forming reverse plating.

In my parent application, now Patent No. 1,716,450, certain forms of sinkers are shown having horizontal notches. The special instrumentality A having the outwardly and downwardly inclined groove 78 (referred to also as the downwardly and backwardly inclined groove) is also shown in said Patent No. 1,716,450, but, as stated in the specification of that patent, the construction of such special instrumentality is not claimed therein. f As set forth beginning line 20, page 5 of the specification of that patent, a peculiarity of this form of special instrumentality particularly adapting it to ine gauge work is the said downwardly and backwardly inclined grooves 78. Such form of special instrumentality is, however, in no sense limited to fine gauge work. In fine gauge work, however, the said outwardly and downwardly inclined groove 78, and particularly the lower y instrumentality A as in the fourth view of.

Fig. 5. In Fig. 5b the needle is shown as having reached its lowest point of downward movement (namely, the casting ofl" point), so that the two yarns 90, 91 are being cast off into the fabric. Such casting `off point is about that shown in the sixth view of Fig. 5. In Fig. 5, the needle is shown as starting up again, the old loop having been fully cast off into the fabric.

The action of the outwardly and downwardly inclined groove 78 in effecting reverse plating is substantially the same as that disclosed in the British patent to Scott & Williams, Inc., No. 277,680 (convention date--United States September 17, 1926; complete specification-Great Britain-accepted February 16, 1929).

In Figs. 3 and 4, I have represented at C a so-called line evener, which forms no part of the present invention, being claimed in my said patent application. I will, however, briefly refer to the same. Dilliculty was previously experienced in securing an even or regular line of demarcation between regular plating and reverse plating, since during the knitting operation there' has been a liability that the line of demarcation may here and there advance 'or recedeby a wale from thek correct line. This diiiculty is overcome in a manner fully described in my said parent applieation, and the specific embodiment ofI means disclosed for that purpose is a line evener. such as C. While such an instrumentality or device may in other forms of my invention @be otherwise positioned. in the present disclosure I associate it with a regular web holder such as B, and therefore place it in the same groove as and with a regular web holder, and at such position in the machine that it is located next after the last special instrumentality that is then to 'perform or effect reverse plating ;in other words, it is in the next radial groove considering the direction of rotation of the needle c vlinder.

. Having thus described one'illustrative elnbodiinent of my invention, it is to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

Claims:

1. Mechanism for effecting plating andreverse plating'in a knitted fabric, includingV an upright circular series of independent latch needles, the points of the bills of said needles all being o ut of line with'and in advance of the Shanks of said needles, whereby the hooks of all of the said needles are truly concentrically positioned; thread engaging instrumentalities for each needle respectively, including special instrumentalities where reverse plating is to be formed; all of said instrumentalities being movable individually in and out radially to the needle circle in a horizontal path; thread guiding means to feed a back thread and a face thread in plating relation to the needles; each of said special instrumentalities having an outwardly and downwardly sloping edge adapted to receive at least one of said threads during loop formation and for the purpose of efecty ing edge during loop forming operation and reverse plating is effected at the .corresponding needle, and whereby if said special instrumentality is not given said abnormally Y early inward movement, neitherthread is received upon said outwardly and downwardly sloping edge and reverse plating is not effected at the corresponding needle.

2. Mechanism for effecting plating and reverse plating in a knitted fabric, including an upright circular series of independent latch needles; thread' engaging instrumentalities for each needle respectively, including special instrumentalities where' reverse plating is to be formed; all of said instrumentalities being movable individually in and out radially to the needle circle in a horizontal path; thread guiding means to feed a back thread and a face thread in plating relation to the needles; means to impart an inward movement to desired thread engaging Yinstrumentalities at an abnormally `early point in the loop forming opera-tion; each,

of said special instrumentalities having an outwardly and downwardly sloping edge during loop forming operation and reverse plating is effected at the corresponding needle, and whereby if said special instrumentality is not given said abnormally early inward movement neither thread is received upon said outwardly and downwardly sloping edge and reverse plating is not effected at the corresponding needle.

3. Mechanism for eifecting plating and reverse plating in aknitted fabric, including a series of independent latch needles; thread engaging instrumentalities for each needle respectively, including special instrumentalities Where reverse plating is to be formed; all of said instrumentalities being movable individually in and out transversely of the needle series; thread guiding means to feed'a back threadand a face thread in plating relation to the needles; means to impart an inward movement transverse to the needle series to desired thread engaging instrumentalities at an abnormally early point in the loop forming operation; each of said special instrumentalities having an outwardly and downwardly sloping edge adapted to receive at least one of said threads during loo forming operation and for the purpose ogeiecting reverse -plating at the corresponding needle; whereby when a special instrumentality of the series is given said abnormally earl inward movement it receives at least one o said threads upon said outwardly and downwardly sloping edge during loop/,forming .operation and reverse plating is effected at the corresponding needle, and whereby: if said speelal` instrumentality is not given said abnormally early inward movement neither thread is received upon said outwardly and downwardly slopin edge `andvreverse platmg 1s not effecte at the corresponding needle. f Y f 4. Mechanism for eifecting plating and reverse platin(r in a knitted fabric, including a series .of independent latch needles; thread engagingv instrumentalities for each needle respectively, including special instrumentalitles where reverse plating is to be formed; all of said instrumentalities being movable individually in and out transversely of the needle series; thread guiding means to feed a back thread and a face thread in plating relation to the needles; me'ans to impart an' inward movement transverse to the needle series to desired thread engaging `instrumentalities at an abnormally early point in the loop forming operation; each of said special instrumentalities having an upper nib and below the top of said nib having a notch the lower edge of which is shaped to present an outwardly and downwardly sloping edge adapted to receive at least `one of said threads during loop formation and for the purpose of eiiecting reverse plating at the corresponding needle; whereby when a special instrumentality of the series is given said abnormally early inward movement it receives at least one of said threads upon said outwardly and downwardly sloping edge during loop forming operation and reverse plating is edected at the corresponding needle, and whereby if said special 1nstrumentalit-y is not given said abnormally early inward movement neither thread 1s received upon said outwardly and downwardly sloping edge and reverse plating is not effected at the corresponding needle.

5. Mechanism for effecting plating and reverse plating in a knitted fabric, including a series of independent latch needles; thread engaging instrumentalities for each needle respectively, including special instrumentalities where reverse'plating is to be formed; all of said instrumentalities being movable individually in and out transversely of the needle series; thread guiding means tofeed a back thread and a face thread in plating relation tothe needles; means to impart an inward movement transverse to the needle series to desired thread engaging instrumentalities at an abnormally early point in the loop forming operation; each of said special instrumentalities having a top nib provided with a'substantially upright inner edge, and each said instrumentality having below said substantially upright edge a notch the lower edge of which is shaped to present an outwardly and downwardly sloping edge adapted to receive both of the said threads during loop forming operation and for the purpose of eli'ecting reverse plating at the corresponding needle; whereby when a special instrumentality of the series is given said abnormally early inward movement it receives at least one of said threads upon said outwardly and downwardly sloping edge during loop forming operation and reverse plating is effected at the corresponding needle, and whereby if said special instrumentality is not given said abnormally early inward movement neither thread is received upon said outwardly and downwardly sloping edge and reverse plating is not eiiected at the corresponding needle.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ROBERT H. LAWSON. 

